Disclaimer – I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! of The 12 Pains of Christmas by Bob Rivers

*Rated T for Teen

Rigging Up the Lights

The second thing at Christmas that's such a pain to me is rigging up the lights.

"You're trying to kill me, aren't you?"

Joey gave an exasperated sigh as he rolled his eyes at Seto's declaration. "I am not tryin' to kill ya," he insisted. "Can ya please—"

"Absolutely not," Seto quipped, crossing his arms.

"But—"

"Why the hell do I have to rig up the Christmas lights on the mansion anyway? Why can't you do it?" inquired Seto curiously.

Joey blushed and suddenly found the floor to be very interesting. "I have to watch the kids."

"Pup, you know I'm more than capable of doing that. What's the real reason?"

"I…I can't reach. Even on the ladder I can't reach up high enough to put up the lights," Joey answered softly.

Seto closed his eyes and stifled a groan. Of course. What else would it be? he thought. "Fine. I'll do it."

Joey let out a high pitched squeal as he threw his arms around Seto's neck and kissed him for all he was worth.

There! He'd done it! He'd rigged up all the damn lights! All he had to do now was plug it in and—

"Puppy!" called Seto from outside.

Joey poked his head through the front door. "Yeah?"

"Where are the extension cords?"

"Why are ya askin' me?"

"You're the one who wanted to put up these damn lights in the first place. I just assumed you would have brought out the extension cords."

"Oh, no! Don't ya dare put this one me! You find the extension cords! It's your damn fuckin' mansion, not mine!"

And with that, Joey went back into the mansion, slamming the door shut behind him.

Seto just stood there in shock. What hell had crawled up his Puppy's ass and died? He'd agreed to put these stupid ass lights up, didn't he?

Well, on a more positive note, he was glad he could still get his Puppy so riled up.

Pushing those thoughts aside, Seto marched into the mansion and headed for the storage closest. After a good half an hour of searching, Seto let out a roar of frustration. "WHAT? WE HAVE NO EXTENSION CORDS?"

Joey chose that moment to come up behind him. "Then just go to the hardware store and get some. It's no big deal."

Seto turned around, glaring at him while grumbling curse words under his breath. Joey remained unaffected as he watched Seto leave to buy extension cords.

There! He'd bought the fucking extension cord! All 75 feet of it!

Seto hooked one end of the extension cord to the lights and headed for the outlet to plug it in. He practically fell flat on his ass when he suddenly felt the lack of slack from the cord.

"FUCKING SHIT!" He was a mere six inches—SIX FUCKING INCHES—from the outlet. The extension cord wasn't long enough.

Seto stared at the extension cord for a full five minutes before he realized the cord wouldn't get any longer. He went back into the mansion to grab his trench coat.

"Where are ya goin'?" Joey asked when he noticed Seto getting ready to leave.

"To the hardware store…again," he spat.

"What? Why?"

"The cord I bought is too fucking short. I'll be back in half an hour."

There! He bought a 150 foot extension cord! That should work!

Seto smirked triumphantly as he was about to plug in the lights. Joey, Mokuba, Kai and Jovi came outside to see.

He plugged it in.

Seto's triumphant smirk turned into an expression of dismay. "NOW WHY THE HELL ARE THEY BLINKING?"

Everyone flinched. They hadn't seen Seto this mad since he lost to Yami in a duel.

"Seto, it's all right if they blink," Joey said, hoping to appease him. It didn't work.

"I will not have these stupid lights blinking during all hours of the night!" Seto marched right back up the ladder to fiddle with the lights.

Only to have all the Christmas lights go out.

"WHY IS IT THAT WHEN ONE LIGHT GOES OUT, THEY ALL GO OUT?" Seto yelled, pulling at his hair.

Messing with the lights again, he finally got them to turn back on, but only for a matter of seconds before the power went out throughout the entire mansion.

Seto practically jumped off the ladder and nearly sprinted into the mansion. "Somebody get me a damn flashlight! I blew a fuse!"

Mokuba hurried off to fetch his brother a flashlight. Finally handing him one, Seto, and the rest of his family, went down to the fuse box.

After many curses and smacks from the flashlight, the power finally kicked back on.

Everyone left to go back outside, only to find the Christmas lights blinking again. Seto was about ready to rip the lights off the mansion and strangle somebody with them.

"Seto? I know the lights came with directions. What does it say about shuttin' off the blinkin'?" asked Joey calmly.

At this point, Seto just about blew his own fuse. "DIRECTIONS? THESE FUCKING THINGS COME WITH DIRECTIONS? WHY THE HELL DIDN'T YOU TELL ME THAT EARLIER?"

Joey looked momentarily dumbfounded. "I…thought ya already knew how to rig up the Christmas lights. I mean, if the Yamis can do it, I'm pretty sure ya can."

"FINE! YOU KNOW WHAT? SINCE YOU'RE SO SMART, YOU RIG UP THE DAMN LIGHTS!"

They all watched as Seto stormed into the house.

"Mokuba, can ya—"

"Already on it," Mokuba replied as he whipped out his cell phone, getting ready to call some people who knew how to do this sort of thing quickly and efficiently.

It was going to be a long Christmas.

End Drabble